MARCH OF TORCHES — French youth celebrate French pride and identity in 2017

On Saturday French youth participated in the 12th annual Paris Pride Day. Hundreds of young people marched through the streets, many holding burning torches and candles, to celebrate Sainte-Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, as well as to demonstrate against acts of terrorism that have plagued Paris over recent years and to show pride for French culture, identity and its people. The march was lead by demonstrators holding a large flag that read “Défendons Paris” (“We Defend Paris”).

At 3 PM (Paris time) people met on the Seine near Pont des Arts to mingle, eat and dance. At 6 PM the march started at Pont de la Tournelle. Afterwards there was a concert for up to 250 concertgoers by identitarian rock group In Memoriam.